North Aston Organics, Oxfordshire

Since 1998, Mark Stay and his team have been growing vegetables on 5 hectares rented from the North Aston Estate, to supply customers via a vegetable box scheme. The holding is composed of the more intensive walled garden (0.9ha) and about 4ha of field crops, which are subcontracted to another grower and cultivated with a tractor. Produce from the holding constitutes one half to two thirds of the contents of the 260 weekly boxes (with the rest coming from another local farm or local organic wholesaler) and includes 40 different types of vegetable.

The farm employs 3.4FTE, including proprietor and 4 employees, as well as the field scale contractor. Much of labour focussed on harvesting, packing, delivery and admin for box scheme. Although the yields of individual crops were  not  outstandingly  high,  the  business  is  feeding  a  significant  number  of  households,  as  well  as  providing a livelihood and meaningful, varied work for several people.